Description
DS3800HPCA1F: Product Overview
The DS3800HPCA1C1F is a daughterboard-grade digital pulse counter that occupies a 6BA06 slot in the GE Speedtronic Mark IV rack. It receives high-frequency pulse trains from magnetic speed pickups, shaft encoders, and turbine-flow transmitters, conditions them (level-shift, filter, isolate), and streams 12-bit count/frequency data to the CPU over the VME back-plane. The card is hardware-deterministic (no firmware) and suitable for safety-related speed or flow measurement when triple-redundant.
Physical implementation includes high-speed comparators, 12-bit counters, galvanic isolation, and TVS surge suppressors. Nine front-edge test points allow oscilloscope probing of input, clock, and data without board removal; five LEDs (4 red + 1 amber) give real-time pulse-train health. Modular keyed connector and retention levers ensure blind-mate insertion in crowded card cages.
Environmental qualification meets –20 °C to +70 °C, IEEE 344 seismic, and CE emissions, giving >25-year service life in baseload duty.
DS3800HPCA1F: Technical Specifications
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Model Number: DS3800HPCA1F
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Manufacturer: General Electric (GE Energy)
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Product Type: Counter Digital Pulse Board
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System Compatibility: Speedtronic Mark IV (6BA06 slot)
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Input Type: Digital pulses from magnetic pickups, encoders, flow meters
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Counter Resolution: 12-bit (4096 counts)
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Max Input Frequency: 100 kHz (zero-velocity to overspeed)
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Input Threshold: 50 mV to 120 V p-p (field-adjustable)
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Isolation: 1500 V AC channel-to-ground, 500 V channel-to-channel
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Output Format: 12-bit parallel count + frequency word to VME bus
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Test Points: 9 TP (input, clock, data, power)
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Indicators: 4 red LEDs (channel status), 1 amber LED (pulse active)
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Connectors: Modular keyed, retention levers, gold-plated
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Power Rails: +5 V logic, ±15 V analog, <1 W per channel
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Temp Range: -20 °C to +70 °C operational, -55 °C to +125 °C storage
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Certifications: CE, RoHS, IEEE 344 form-factor compatible
Core Features & Customer Value
Microsecond-Accurate Speed Measurement
100 kHz capability and <1 µs edge-to-edge jitter enable zero-velocity through overspeed (120 %) tracking—mandatory for grid-code frequency-response and overspeed-protection compliance.
100 kHz capability and <1 µs edge-to-edge jitter enable zero-velocity through overspeed (120 %) tracking—mandatory for grid-code frequency-response and overspeed-protection compliance.
Hot-Swappable in TMR Strings
Redundant Mark IV allows online replacement of one counter card; remaining two legs continue voting. MTTR is <5 min—no outage, no load shed, no restart required.
Redundant Mark IV allows online replacement of one counter card; remaining two legs continue voting. MTTR is <5 min—no outage, no load shed, no restart required.
Field-Calibrated Without Software
Input threshold pot and jumper-selectable filter corner allow technicians to match pickup sensitivity or reject gear-mesh noise using only a screwdriver and a scope, no OEM software required.
Input threshold pot and jumper-selectable filter corner allow technicians to match pickup sensitivity or reject gear-mesh noise using only a screwdriver and a scope, no OEM software required.
Surge-Hardened for Turbine Deck
TVS diodes and opto-isolators clamp >500 V spikes from lightning, VFD switching, or exciter flash-over. 1500 V isolation prevents ground-fault propagation to CPU cards, reducing unplanned replacement by >60 % compared with commercial counters.
TVS diodes and opto-isolators clamp >500 V spikes from lightning, VFD switching, or exciter flash-over. 1500 V isolation prevents ground-fault propagation to CPU cards, reducing unplanned replacement by >60 % compared with commercial counters.
Typical Applications
Gas Turbine Speed & Acceleration Control
Primary pulse input for Frame 7/9 heavy-duty units: magnetic pickup on auxiliary gear delivers 4–20 kHz during start-up; card outputs 12-bit speed and frequency to CPU every 5 ms, enabling acceleration-limiting and overspeed-protection <110 %.
Primary pulse input for Frame 7/9 heavy-duty units: magnetic pickup on auxiliary gear delivers 4–20 kHz during start-up; card outputs 12-bit speed and frequency to CPU every 5 ms, enabling acceleration-limiting and overspeed-protection <110 %.
Steam Turbine Flow & Power Measurement
Turbine-meter pulse trains (0.1–5 kHz) are scaled to steam-flow and megawatt totals. Filter set to 100 Hz removes piping vibration while preserving flow transients during load rejection.
Turbine-meter pulse trains (0.1–5 kHz) are scaled to steam-flow and megawatt totals. Filter set to 100 Hz removes piping vibration while preserving flow transients during load rejection.
Black-Start & Island Mode Operation
Encoder on the emergency diesel provides 0.01 Hz resolution for synchronizing to islanded bus. Deterministic edge-detection guarantees phase-angle matching <0.5°, mandatory for NERC PRC-024-2 ride-through .
Encoder on the emergency diesel provides 0.01 Hz resolution for synchronizing to islanded bus. Deterministic edge-detection guarantees phase-angle matching <0.5°, mandatory for NERC PRC-024-2 ride-through .
